A BIKER rode over from Wirral to Mold with a pistol and pointed it at a friend in a row over a motorcycle.

Mold Crown Court heard the pistol was imitation and not capable of firing, but the victim did not know that and believed it was genuine.

Adam James McDermott, 21, wept as he was jailed for 22 months after he admitted possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and making a threat to kill.

The court heard victim Karl Matishok and McDermott were friends and Mr Matishok had allowed him to store a motorcycle at his girlfriend’s home.

But the machine was stolen and when told it was missing, McDermott became angry and made threats, including one on Facebook, threatening to “end him” and “cripple him”, said prosecutor David Mainstone.

He also demanded money.

On July 8 at 1pm the victim was at his mother’s address when he heard a motorcycle come down the street at speed with the engine being revved.

He went outside and looked over a fence, and saw the defendant in an alleyway with a female.

McDermott shouted: “Where’s my f…ing money?”, pulled out a pistol and pointed it directly at him.

Mr Mainstone said the victim had previously been to the defendant’s home, had seen the pistol and believed it was real.

He was scared and jumped down from the fence, and shouted to his mother to call the police.

McDermott, of Victoria Street in Birkenhead, jumped on his motorcycle and rode out of the alley and the female, who was a pillion passenger, was said to have aimed a blow at the victim as they rode passed, but missed.

Arrested later back in Birkenhead, the blank firing pistol was recovered and it was found that the orange weapon had been painted black to make it look more realistic.

Earlier this year the prosecutor said McDermott had been dealt with for a charge of modifying a pistol by painting it and it had been confiscated. It appeared that he had obtained another.

He denied being in North Wales on the day of the threat and claimed he was at home.

McDermott denied making threats but could not explain the threats on social media.

Mr Mainstone said the two men had four or five months earlier through a group chat on Facebook over their shared interest in motorcycles.

They had met, had been on rides on their bikes and the victim offered to help the defendant by allowing him to store a machine in his girlfriend’s garden.

In June arrangements were made for McDermott to pick it up.

That morning it had disappeared, the victim thought McDermott must have already taken it, but when told it was not there he became angry and said he would come and shoot him.

He then received a series of messages including on the group Facebook site in which he threatened to end the defendant and his family and cripple him.

McDermott posted a video of himself in Buckley and demanded £1,000. In order to placate him the victim offered to loan him his motorcycle.

McDermott appeared to calm down and collected it – but later said he had sold it and wanted £400 to make up the shortfall.

Gary Lawrenson, defending, said that his client had acted in a bizarre fashion.

Anger management has been an issue since he was a child, when he was statemented.

He had a difficult background and had clearly seen things as a youngster that he should not have done.

His aunt had been concerned about him and had written to her MP because the defendant had become disconnected from mental health services with appointments cancelled and he had run out of medication. That was before the offence was committed.

McDermott was immature and completely over-reacted when the motorcycle disappeared.

He lacked the skills to deal with the situation and clearly needed help, said Mr Lawrence.

Judge Timothy Petts said McDermott over-reacted when his motorcycle was apparently stolen and started making threats, some of which were on social media and which could be seen by others.

The victim genuinely believed that the pistol, which McDermott had painted black to make it look more realistic, was genuine.

McDermott planned what he was going to do, travelled to North Wales with the pistol which he pulled out and pointed at him.

“It was an imitation but it was impossible for the victim to tell that and he was clearly genuinely frightened,” the judge said.

McDermott appeared in court via a live television link from Altcourse Prison in Liverpool.